Meet Ngaiire (pronounced nigh-rie), an immensely talented Sydney-sider that shines in her debut record which can only be described as a distinctive, supremely confident, and soulful release from a talented artist.
Lamentations possesses nine songs that travel a fine line between organic and synthetic. Between the soothing piano, the constant thump of ticking electronic beats and the distinct synthesizer sounds, Ngaiire’s sound is an intricate mix of electro and jazz.
This contrast is evident as her echoing vocals are rich in ‘ABCD’, playing on top of a beautiful piano whilst the synthetic side shines in ‘Around’ and ‘Fireflies’ where staccato samples are featured.
Ngaiire’s irreplaceable voice tweaks, plays, lags, twists and extends syllables and phrases in tracks ‘Rabbit Hole’ and ‘Dirty Hercules’ like a skilled carpenter, squeezing out all the aural possibilities of each lyric.
The songstress’ control is exquisite her unique vocals feature her tale of hope and loss. ‘Ordinary’, a powerful slow piano ballad screams‘I need for you to feel what I feel’, represents the complex themes Ngaiire deals with on the record.
Amongst the cacophony of sounds, the production on this album speaks for itself as the singing are always the main focus. The dynamic mix between her confident lead vocals, mystical back up and the soothing harmonies weaved make Lamentations musically dynamic. Tim Curnick and Aaron Choulai deserve a lot of credit for the production of this masterful release.
With her supremely impressive debut, Ngaiire has exploded out of anonymity and is set to take Australia, and the world if they’re clever enough, by storm.
